Irrigation has been central to agriculture for over 5,000 years. In the U.S., irrigated agriculture covers only about 15% of cropland, but provides more than 45% of agricultural products. There are four primary types of irrigation systems: surface, subsurface, sprinkler, and drip or trickle. A brief history of irrigation is presented in this webinar, with a focus on historical developments in sprinkler irrigation systems that date back to the late 1800s with the filing of patents for portable lawn sprinklers to present-day dominance of center pivot systems. Major advances in sprinkler irrigation systems came with the introduction of wheel lines and then center pivots in the late 1940s and 1950s mostly on the back of the availability of aluminum and the large-scale irrigation expansion. Throughout the years, many technological advancements in these systems have been introduced to enhance performance, ease management, and reduce energy use, or to meet other specific needs. Recent advances include enhanced system operation and management made possible via readily available GPS and affordable remote communications and real-time data availability. This webinar is expected to be of educational value and interest to most technical and field staff dealing with irrigation systems and irrigated land.

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AWQA Calendar Updates

Bimonthly calendar of agriculture related events on the Central Coast are sent out via email. To join the mailing list and receive event notifications, send me an email request to pam.krone-davis@noaa.gov with the heading Add Me To Receive the AWQA Events Calendar.

Biodiversity in National Organic Progam (NOP)

Biodiversity conservation is fundamental to organic farming and required by the NOP. Farmers, ranchers, wild crop harvesters, and handlers must maintain or improve their soil, water, wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/NOP%205020%20Biodiversity%20Guidance%20Rev01%20%28Final%29.pdf

Upcoming Events

Recent research has identified populations of powdery mildew that are resistant to FRAC 11 fungicides (strobilurins), FRAC 3 (DMIs), or both. A collaboration of researchers and extentionists are working to develop novel diagnostic tools and[...]

Organic growers rely on the many services biodiversity provides, but knowing where to find accessible information can be challenging. This webinar will provide an overview of three tools to help you identify and manage wildlife,[...]

In this course you will learn the key grazing planning principles and practices for improving land health and productivity. You will learn the steps to this simple approach to grazing planning so that you can[...]

Version 3 of EPA’s Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) will be released in early 2018 (https://www.epa.gov/exposure-assessment-models/wmost). WMOST is designed to facilitate integrated water management among communities, utilities, watershed organizations, consultants, and others. WMOST identifies[...]